2018 NFL Draft: Biggest need for each team
By Conor Dorney
New York Giants: Quarterback
The New York Giants paid big money to lure left tackle Nate Solder from New England in free agency, but will they be taking someone for him to protect with the second overall pick? Most signs point to that being the case.
New head coach Pat Shurmur takes over in 2018 in what could be considered a transition year for the Giants’ franchise. Though the highly-publicized Eli Manning benching debacle is now in the rearview mirror, the team must still ponder whether to invest an a long-term option at quarterback in this draft. At 37 years of age, the Giants can’t count on Manning to be their starting quarterback for much longer and picking second in the draft affords them the opportunity to hand-pick his replacement if they so choose.
One factor that may indicate the Giants are ready to take a quarterback is the price their crosstown rivals, the New York Jets, paid to move up in the spot behind them. With Cleveland likely to take a quarterback at number one, the Giants may feel it’s critical to stay put rather than accumulate draft picks in the later rounds.
The team has spent quite a bit of time with Baker Mayfield during the draft process, but if he heads to Cleveland, look for them to pick up either USC’s Sam Darnold or UCLA’s Josh Rosen at number two. Shurmur worked wonders with the revolving door of quarterbacks in Minnesota last season and knows that the key to his success with the Giants will be finding their next franchise quarterback. With Eli Manning still in place, the Giants can allow for some time for whomever they select before throwing them into a starting role.